One Important Day
by Katie of Gryffindor
Summary: It is a very important day. Will he be able to get through it in one piece? Can he hold himself together? Sequel to "One Important Question" but you need not read the first to enjoy the second. ;-)


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Disclaimer: I still don't own the characters. I still wish I did. The wedding vows are from the Episcopal wedding ceremony. I believe the bit about the rings is as well. Everything else is mine. Enjoy.

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One Important Day

By Katie of Gryffindor

He was standing in his room at his flat outside Hogsmeade. Most of his day had been spent pacing back and forth across his living room. He was quite sure that he had almost worn away an oval shape in the wood floor. His nervousness could be seen by his hair, which was standing on end from all the times he'd run his tan fingers through it. This wasn't necessarily a new occurrence, his hair being messy. But the running of his fingers through it, that was what made it even messier than usual. 

Now he stood staring at himself in the mirror. He tried to flatten down the flaxen hair, but no matter what he did, at least one lock of hair managed to jump out of place. Frustrated by his unruly mane, he sighed and inspected the rest of his body. He turned slightly to see himself from the side view. His lean and muscular body was encased in a magnificent white tuxedo, tails and all. He smiled at his reflection, knowing there would be one more thing added to his appearance in a few hours time.

He looked down at his fingers. There was one ring on his right hand, and one on his left. He thought back to the day he received the first ring. It was back in sixth year at Hogwarts, almost ten years ago. His now-fiancé had presented him with it for a Christmas present. He had been truly stunned by the gesture, and accepted it graciously. To the non-wizarding eye, the ring looked like an average, high school or college ring. It was large, with two stones in it, each matching one of the house colors of him and his companion. But to anyone from his world, this ring was far from average. Carved into the stones were two figures, their house mascots, that had been charmed to move. The man smiled at the memory of that night, and his longtime love. 

The ring on his left hand was a semi-recent acquisition. The smile on his lips grew. He swore the day he was given this ring, six months ago, that his beau was planning on saying goodbye to him forever. But he was wrong, and he praised the gods everyday for it. His fiancé had trouble getting the words to tumble out of those silky smooth lips. But finally that one sentence left the mouth of his companion, he knew what his answer would be. A single tear slid down his cheek as he heard again the question.

__

"Will you do me the honor of marrying me?"

He could remember exactly the look on his love's face as the words finally spilled out. And he remembered crying and throwing his arms around his beloved and whispering those three magic words. He heard the words echoed back to him from his longtime sweetheart, now his fiancé. 

__

"I love you too, Harry Potter." 

Now they were going to follow through with their promise to each other. It was Harry's wedding day. The jitters came back in full force as his mind came back to the issues at hand. He was nervous. He wanted everything to be perfect for today, and this damn hair of his!

The door to his flat creaked open then. He looked up quickly. "No!" he cried, running to hide behind his wardrobe. "You can't see me before the wedding! It's bad luck! Don't you know anything?" The footsteps that had been moving closer to his position stopped nearby. A hand snaked around the corner of the wardrobe and pale fingers wrapped around his wrist. 

"Harry, really. You're being silly. It's just me! I'm allowed to see you." said the intruder, chuckling quietly. 

"Oh, Merlin! It's you Ron!" Harry straightened, with help from one of his oldest and dearest friends. Ronald Weasley smiled widely at his best friend. Ron was decked out in a splendid black tuxedo himself, complete with two small flowers pinned to the lapel, a lily and a narcissi, in honor of the occasion. His shoulder-length red hair was smoothed back in a loose ponytail. 

"Will you relax?" said Ron, chuckling again. "It's just another day. Isn't that what you told me when I was marrying Hermione?"

Harry smiled weakly. "But this is different. It's _my_ wedding day now, and I'm scared out of my wits!"

Ron started fussing with Harry's tux, evening out the creases made when Harry hid. "Just relax. My wife is with your other half trying to help with relaxation there."

"Oh good. That should be an interesting proposition." Harry laughed in spite of himself. "My fiancé has _never_ been one to relax easily. The things I have to do to calm-"

Harry tried to finish his sentence, but Ron's hand was clapped over his mouth preventing speech.

"I do _not_ want to know." Ron winked. "Besides. That's between the two of you. And don't go sending any pointers to my wife. Merlin knows what she would do with that kind of information." 

The two men laughed together at the thought of the look on Hermione's face if she read _Harry's List of Fiancé Calmers_. 

"Well, old chap. I believe it's about time we get you into that Ministry limo parked outside and get you to the wedding." The dark-haired man's knees buckled, and he sat himself down on the carpeted floor.

"Time to go?" asked Harry weakly.

"Yes," said Ron firmly. "Up you get. Come on." He slid his arms under the other man's armpits and pulled him up to standing again. Once the two men were standing side-by-side, Ron slipped his arm around Harry's waist and guided him through the bedroom, down the short hallway and into the living room. They reached the door to the outside world, and Harry froze.

"Come on, you. If I could get up the courage, so can you, Mate." The door opened by itself and Ron tugged his best friend out the doorway.

"Oh Merlin…" 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

They arrived by limo at the Apparition Point a few minutes later. They met Harry's godfather, Sirius Black, before Apparating to the gates of the school. 

Harry had always dreamed of this day. Every since the first time he stepped onto the lawns of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It was exactly how he imagined it, too. There was not a cloud in the sky and the sun was shining brightly. The crisp October air ruffle Harry's hair again as they approached the school grounds. Ron and Sirius were at his side as they passed through the gates and began the long trek to the lakeshore where his fiancé and all their guests were waiting. There were two tents by the lake, one for each of the betrothed. Harry entered the tent on the right. The tent was a deep red with sparkling gold trimming. When Harry walked in, flanked by Sirius and Ron, two heads turned in their direction. Both pairs of eyes fell on him. Smiles spread across the faces. 

Mrs. Molly Weasley was first at his side. She swept him into a bone-crushing hug, and tears sprang to her eyes. Harry hugged the older woman back with almost the same force. When they finally separated, Harry saw tears in her eyes. 

"Oh, don't you start, Mum," said Harry chidingly. After his fourth year, he'd begun calling Ron's mother 'Mum' as well, because she was as close as he would ever get to having a real mother. They decided to just adopt each other, although they never went through any official paperwork or the like. From then on, she treated him as just one more of her sons, with as much love and care as she treated all her sons. And he got all the punishments, too. And Harry loved every second of it.

"I'm sorry, Harry, love," said Mrs. Weasley shakily. "I can't help it. I always cry at weddings."

"But Mum, the ceremony hasn't started yet!" Harry swept her back into a tight hug and smiled broadly, gallantly holding back tears of his own. After a few minutes, he stepped back from his adopted mother and held her at arms length. She looked up at her only non-red-headed son, and smiled unsteadily. 

"Mum, if you keep on like this, I'm going to start crying, and I don't think my fiancé would enjoy me blubbering through the whole service." Harry winked at her and gave her one more quick hug. "Now go out and check on my better half. And then sit yourself down, alright?"

"Yes, dear." Mrs. Weasley stood on her tiptoes and gave Harry a kiss on the cheek. Then she turned and exited the tent. As Harry was walking to the mirror on the other side of the tent, he could hear her bawling as she walked toward the other tent. 

Harry faced the mirror finally and looked himself over again. There was now a bright lipstick stain on his cheek. Sighing with an emotion somewhere between amusement and exasperation, he pulled out a white handkerchief from his inside jacket pocket and started to wipe away the lipstick. While he was fighting with the stain on his tanned skin, his other best friend strode into the tent. 

"Ron, go check up on the other one. I'll stay with Harry." 

"Yes, Love," said Ron, kissing his wife on the forehead. Ron turned to Harry and held out his hand. "Harry, I'll see you out there, alright?" 

Harry took Ron's hand and pulled him close. Their hands stayed clasped and they threw the free arms over each other's shoulder in a manly hug. When they finally released each other, there was a single tear running down each man's cheek. "I love you, ya old prat," said Harry thickly. 

"Yeah, yeah," said Ron, wiping away his tear. He strode toward the tent flap.

Ron was about to duck out of the tent when Harry called to him.

"Ron!"

"Yeah, Harry?" asked Ron. He stopped just inside the tent. 

"Thank you for being here." Harry smiled at his best friend.

"I wouldn't miss it." With that, Ron Weasley exited Harry's tent and started off to the other tent to check that everything was in order. He was also checking that his mother wasn't getting the other half of the wedding party all teary-eyed like she had Harry.

Harry turned back to the woman who had entered the tent. "Hermione."

She smiled broadly. "Hey. How are you?"

Harry looked down at his shaking hands. "Bloody nervous, 'Mione." 

Hermione Weasley smiled again. Then she folded Harry into a fierce hug. "Everything is ready. You're here. So is your fiancé. Neither of you is going anywhere. And it's a beautiful day for a wedding."

Harry grinned. "It is magnificent weather today, isn't it?" _Just as I had imagined it._

Hermione stepped back, releasing her best friend of sixteen years. She tutted quietly, brushing out the creases made in Harry's white tuxedo by all the hugging that had occurred since he'd donned it three hours ago. When she was satisfied, she looked up at his face and smirked. There was still a smudge of red lipstick on his cheek from his adoptive mother. 

Hermione brandished her wand and murmured, "_Purificio._" 

Harry felt a warm breeze waft over his cheek, and looked back in the mirror. The lips that Mrs. Weasley had imprinted on him were now gone. "I'm glad you know these spells."

"I'm a wife. I have to know these spells to clean up after my husband." Hermione grinned at Harry.

Somewhere outside the tent, a choir of bells rang out, signifying the approaching start of the festivities. Harry's insides suddenly felt like there was someone inside him tying all kinds of sailors' knots into all of his internal organs. He looked nervously at Hermione, who was smiling back at him cheerfully. He suddenly felt like running far away, or hiding until the sailors in his stomach decided to undo the knots. Hermione evidently saw these thoughts running through his mind and wrapped him up in her arms once more. After an extra squeeze, she said, "Harry. You're about to marry the person that you have been in love with for the better part of your life. You are not about to run now. And besides. Think how happy you'll be." 

She kissed him on the cheek, leaving her own stamp of approval. After muttering another quite "_Purificio_" at him, she grinned. "I'll see you out there." Hermione turned and walked out of the tent. 

Harry finally turned to the last two people sitting with him in the tent. His family. Sirius stood and walked over to him. "Harry, you are going to be fine. You don't have to do much. Just holding hands, a couple words, and a kiss at the end. No big deal, right?"

Harry smiled weakly. "Sure…"

The other man sitting in the tent stood and crossed to Harry as well. He faced Harry and said, "You've done much scarier things in your life. Remember? You faced that evil wizard man, Foldimart, and beat him every time! You can do this."

Harry smiled at his cousin. "It's Voldemort, Duds. And yes, I faced him and beat him. But this is just too scary."

Dudley Dursley pulled his cousin into a hug. Harry hugged him back. Years ago, this never would have happened. But ever since Harry's uncle, Vernon, passed on, his cousin had been much kinder to him. Harry smiled, remembering the apology from Dudley nine years ago. 

Dudley told Harry about how he realized what a nasty person he'd been for all those years. How he was tired of belittling Harry and beating on him just because Vernon told him to. That day, Dudley told Harry that he'd reamed his mother for mistreating Harry and moved out of number four, Privet Drive. And a weeping Dudley apologized for all the pain he ever inflicted upon Harry. Harry forgave Dudley, and they finally treated each other the way families should. With love, respect and warmth. 

Now, Dudley and Harry were like brothers. And Dudley was trying to help his cousin through a very important day. Dudley finally released Harry and stepped back. "Harry, if you can handle Moldyfart, _and_ my father, you can handle getting married." 

Sirius chuckled at Dudley's mistake, which gained a sheepish look from the man. "I got it wrong again, didn't I?" asked Dudley.

"Yes, but that's alright." Sirius grinned at the two younger men standing side by side. " 'Moldyfart' is a much better name for the man anyway." The three snorted with laughter. Sirius' face turned serious once more.

"We need to get you ready to go out there, Harry." Sirius moved to the small table sitting by the mirror that Harry hadn't yet noticed. He picked up the pair of flowers that were to be pinned to Harry's lapel. "Come here."

Harry stepped forward and finally took in the outfit Sirius had donned for the occasion. A black tuxedo under a cape made of black silk brocade and black dragon hide boots. "Paddy, you old dog!" Harry fingered the silk cape that fastened in a silver clasp at Sirius' neck. "You look great!"

Sirius grinned at both the complement and the accidental pun from his godson. "Thank you." Sirius pinned the flowers to Harry's lapel. "You don't look half bad yourself." 

Another chord from the bell choir floated toward the tent. Dudley looked to the direction of the music. "I think it's time, Cousin."

There was a sharp intake of breath by Harry. He realized that this was it. His last moments as a single man. And his last moments alone for the rest of his life. From here on in, Harry would be part of a couple. Always connected by the bond of marriage. Harry drew his tongue across his dry lips. And smiled.

"I'm ready."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"We are gathered here to join these two people in marriage. Marriage was created as a celebration of love." Albus Dumbledore smiled at the couple standing before him. But Harry didn't see his smile. The only one he was focused on was the eyes of his fiancé. Harry's ten tanned fingers were tangled with ten long, slender and pale ones. Shining green eyes smiled at silvery grays. Harry smiled at the sight of the faint tinge of blue mixing with the gray. Always when those eyes were excited and happy, blue would creep into gray, and sooner or later would take over where gray had once resided. Harry got lost in those eyes, which were getting bluer by the second, and everything around him melted away. He finally took notice of the attire of his partner. The man opposite him was clad in a white tuxedo to match Harry's, which fit him perfectly, accentuating every line in his body. Harry sighed in contentment, trying with all his might to hide the look of lust that was creeping into his eyes.

Somewhere in the distance, Harry heard his ex-headmaster reciting poetry at him about love or something along those lines. All Harry cared about was the person standing in front of him. 

Finally, Harry heard the words he'd been waiting for all afternoon. 

"Harry Potter, do you take this man to be your husband?" asked Dumbledore. Harry tore his gaze away from his love's eyes to look at his dear friend and mentor. His heart swelled with love for the man whose fingers were still entwined with his. Harry's eyes traveled back to his beloved's face.

"I do." Harry could feel the love burning in his eyes, and was sure that if it could, that love would be pouring out of him. As it was, tears were already forming small pools in his eyes.

"Draco Malfoy, do you take this man to be your husband?" After a quick glance at the headmaster, Draco looked back at Harry.

"I do." Draco's eyes were brimming with tears too. The two men were beaming at each other. Love was so present in their eyes that it was almost overflowing. Harry's heart was beating quickly, and he wasn't sure he could make it through the rest of the service without crying.

Dumbledore smiled at the two men who had been his former students. They turned to face him, keeping two hands clasped between them. Then Dumbledore began the speech he'd prepared for that afternoon. 

"Harry. Draco." He looked at each in turn. "You two have been faithful wizards. You have shown strength above all others. And you have shown love that knows no bounds. I can remember the first time I met each of you. Harry, you were a timid boy. You were not sure of your place in the world, or that you would ever find it. And Draco, you were sure of the expectations for you. But you were also sure that you did not want to fulfill those expectations. 

"You two were bitter enemies for many long years. I believe most of us here can remember those times. I was sure that one of you would kill the other some day. I know that during those years, I _never _expected this would happen!" Dumbledore stopped here to let the gathered crowd twitter quietly. He smiled. 

"Then one day I saw the two of you together. You were not fighting as you usually did. You were standing alone in the Entrance Hall. Just staring at each other. I knew from the looks in your eyes that there was no longer hate between you. Only love. And that love is what has brought us to this place. 

"I wish you two nothing but luck. You have long lives ahead of you. That is quite certain. The proof of that is the fact that you are both still here! Between your father, Draco, and your uncle, Harry, and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, the both of you should have been long gone by now!" Dumbledore winked at the happy couple in front of him. There was another ripple of laughter. 

"But you are not gone. Instead, you are here. And you are pledging your lives to one another. For that, you should always be thankful. And always. _Always_, remember to love. For love is the most powerful magic of all."

Dumbledore took the clasped hands of the two men in his own. Then he smiled. "I believe it is time for the exchanging of vows." Dumbledore magicked a nearby book to himself and cleared his throat. "Harry, would you repeat after me, please. I, Harry."

"I, Harry," echoed Harry.

"Take you, Draco."

"Take you, Draco."

"To be my husband."

"To be my husband."

"To have and to hold," 

"To have and to hold," 

"From this day forward,"  


"From this day forward,"  


"For better or worse," 

"For better or worse," 

"For richer or poorer,"  


"For richer or poorer,"  


"In sickness and in health," 

"In sickness and in health," 

"To love and to cherish,"  


"To love and to cherish,"  


"Till death do us part."  


"Till death do us part."  


"This is my solemn vow."

"This is my solemn vow."

Harry choked slightly on the last line, holding his tears in as long as he could. Once the words were out of his mouth, Harry let the tears flow freely. Draco gave him a reproving look, but only because he still had to recite the same vows. 

Dumbledore turned to Draco and said, "Draco, please repeat after me. I, Draco…" Draco recited the same words, and, just like Harry, stumbled over the last sentence. When he was finished, silent tears of joy were streaming down both men's faces. There were two more pieces to the ceremony, and Harry scolded himself for breaking down before it was over. He took a deep breath and smiled strongly at Draco, trying to ebb the seemingly constant flow of tears. Dumbledore was speaking again, holding up a shining circle of twisted yellow and white gold.

"You see, these rings are a circle, a symbol of the unbroken circle of love. Love freely given has no beginning and no end, no giver and no receiver for each is the giver and each is the receiver. May these rings always remind you of the vows you have taken." Dumbledore handed each man the appropriate ring. Draco took Harry's hand first and slipped the ring onto Harry's finger next to the engagement ring he had given Harry six months ago. When the ring was in place, Harry did the same for Draco. 

"Now," said Dumbledore, looking up at the crowd. "I am happy to announce that Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy are joined from this day forth in matrimony." He looked the two men beaming back at him. "To seal this union, you may kiss your husband."

Harry turned to his new husband. He grinned the lopsided grin he knew Draco loved. Harry's now-steady hands found Draco's smooth face and brought it to his in a soft but passionate kiss. After a moment in the embrace, the men parted. 

"I love you, Draco Potter."

"I love you too, Harry Malfoy."


End file.
